Poultry picking machine



July w 1953i G. W. JOHNSON POULTRY PICKING MACHINE' 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 17, 1946 Mk wm.

QR hdi Y NN Juy l0, 195@ G. w. JOHNSON POULTRY PICKING MACHINE Filed June 17, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l N VEN TOR, araa if Jah/75a.

War/76% july 10, 1951 G. w. JOHNSON Y 2,550,524

POULTRY PICKING MACHINE Filed June 17, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented July 1`0, 1951 2,5o,524 POULTRY PICKING MACHINE` Gordon W. Johnson, Baytown, Mo., assignor to Gordon Johnson Company, Kansas City, Mo.,'a corporation of Missouri Application June 17, 1946, Serial No. 677,130

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a machine for mechanically removing` the feathers from chickens, turkeys, and other poultry, and has as its principal object the provision of an apparatus which will perform this operation on a fowl as it is carried through the apparatus on a suitable conveyor in a straight line. This is a distinct improvement over machines requiring the vertical or horizontal movement of the fowl or of, v

picking ngersthereby procuring a thorough removal of feathers from all parts of the fowl body, the provision of a simple and efficient means of vadjusting the machine to accommodate the various sizes of fowl to be picked, and the provision of a simple means for adjusting the machine to the height of the conveyor line.

These and other objects o f this invention will appear in the accompanying specification and drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the present invention, with a portion of theside panel broken away to show part of one of the rotating drums with its picking fingers, and with a portion of the motor cover and belt guard broken away to show the motor and drum driving system.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the entire machine. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the machine with a portion ofthe motor cover and belt guard y broken away.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken on line IV--IV of Figure2, showing the drum construction and bearings.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on line V--V of Figure 1.

perpendicularly to the ends of said main support members, and center leg sleeves I0 rigidly attached perpendicularly to the central portions of said cross support members. Legs I2 telescope with said linner and outer leg sleeves and are rigidly attached to pedestals I4. Said sleeves may be rigidly fixed on said legs by means of set screws I6. Vertical movement of said machine base on said legs is accomplished by placing an automobile type jack, not shown, under jack lugs I8, firmly fixed to cross support members 6, adjacent to the inner legs. With said jacks in position, set screws I6 may be loosened, the jacks operated to raisevor lower the machine base, set screws I6 tightened, and the jacks removed.

A removable feather tray 20 for receiving feathers as they fall from the picking drums above, rests across main support members 4.

The drum supporting frames 22 are rigidly attached to drum frame support channels 24, said support channels being carried by and adjustably movable along cross support members 6. Said adjustment may be fixed by tightening clamp bolts 26, which pass through elongated slots 21 in said drum frame support channels, and through said cross support members, as shown in Figure '7.

Said adjustment is accomplished by means of adjustment screws 28, said screws being threaded in nuts 30 rigidly attached to angle irons 32, which are in turn firmly fixed to outer leg sleeves 8. Theopposite ends of said screws pass through andare adapted to rotate in a pivoted bearing 34 rigidly attached to drum frame 22 and detailed in Figure 7. The shaft of screw 28 passes through and rotates in bearing collar 36, which is pivotally mounted about a vertical axis by means of pins 38 rigidly attached to said bearing collar and loosely fitted in holes 39 in bearing housing 40 which is rmly xed to drum frame 22. Longitudinal movement of said screw shaft through said bearing collar is prevented by set collars 42, rigidly Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectiontaken l on line VII-VII of Figure 2, showing the means of adjusting the distance between the rotating drums.

In all views the resilient picking fingers are shown extended at right angles to the surface of the drum, this being the position they assume The base 2 of themachine comprises the main' support members 4, extending from front to rear of the machine, cross support members B extend- Ying between and rigidly attached to said main j .support members at a position adjacent their ex-M 'tremities outer leg sleeves 8 rigidly 'attached-'f attached to said screw shaft adjacent each side of said bearing collar. The pivoting of this bearing is necessary to prevent binding when it is desired to position the drum frames, and the hereinafter described drums carried by said frames, in a non-parallel relationship, that is,

' at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the maare placedat diiferent distances from the longitudinal center line of the machine. The outer ends of screw shafts 28 are squared to receive a removable manually operable crank, not shown.

Each drum frame 22 comprises an upper end 3 panel 44, a lower` end panel 46, and a housing member 48 rmly xed to said end panels. Said end panels arerigidly I'xedto drum .frame support channels 24, and have ytheir edges flanged outwardly from the center of the machine. Firmly fixed to said flanges adjacent the center of the machine are bearings 50, so positioned .as to rotatably mount a substantially cylindrical drum 52, carried by axles 54.

Mounted on the periphery. ofeach of'saidfdrums are a plurality of nger mounting brackets 58, each of said brackets mounting -a finger V|50 of rubber or some other resilient material by means of a pin 62, said pin being parallel to theaxisof said drum and retained in said bracket by means Tightly tting in the hole through:ngerfthrough.which pin 62 passes is a'bearingsleeve 64,which turns freely on pin-62 and prevents wear-on the rubber of said fingers.

VA detail :of Ythe linger mounting is shown in Figure-6.

@nfthe-extendedfendof-the aXle 54 fat the lower `endofeach drum is rmlyxed'a-pulley 10, operably connected fby 'means-of belt -12 -to pulley 14, firmly-attached'to ,the shaft of motor y16. Either ror kboth of f said pulleys `may Ybe tof fthe adjustable diameter Ttype, in order -to insure tightness of belt 12.

Motors 16 are mounted firmly-on motor bases 18, said (motor bases 'being rigidly attached -to vpivot `rods "80. Said 'rods wpivot freely `in brackets I`v|32,whichrare-rigidly: attached toihousing-40- yThe lower :ends "of -ladjusting ybolts 4.84, adjustably ymounted adjacent'the edge-,of .motor base -18fop :posite pivot trod P80, rest on 'top Vof :housing 48. Adjustmentfof bolts-.84 .willfpivot Amotor'base 1.8 on

vpivotfrod 80,v thereby .varying thedistance between ;pulleys yf1.1] and -1Y4and^servingas ia means .for `tightening belt'1-2. 'The use of independent'driving means-for eachof pickingidrums f5 21:renders said ydrums independent of each =other -for the purpose :of adjusting :the angular relationship therebetween, as heretofore described.

An outer'belt guard'lan inner-belt guard ,88, bothrigi'cllyattached'to-lower endpanels 45, and

`-a;motor,cover |l0 hingeably attaohedtohousing 48 by fmeans =of hinges 92, serve l.to rprevent .wet

feathers from fouling -thedrivingfgean When closed, saidmotorcoverislfastened to saidsouter vbelt r guard by suitable `fasteners 94.

The fowls :96 to Vbe plucked :are passed -horizontally vbetween the rotating -drums in .substantially the :central vertical yplane of the .machine, being suspended "from A-a suitable conveyor of.standard-type,.comprisingva stationary rail 98,

a lplurality of carriages 91 adapted-to be -mcved along said :rail 'by .a1-moving conveyor @chain 99, 'and brackets I 0.0 'fpivotally suspended :from `said fcarriages-bymeans of'ilexibleconnections |0| and p'ivots zseveral commercially :available types consisting :substantially of :andnverted U -shaped framehav- |03. Said brackets ,may lbe yof any yof ing fixed between -its legsa horizontal `member 405 :suitable for engaging the legs of a fowl.

As'said bracket fpassesfthrough the machine, it iis :engaged tby and lguided `'between ltwo .hollow Aguide -rods |02. lSaid -guide .rods ware disposed symmetrically about -tlie center Yline `of the machine-.in a horizontalplana vand have yportions adfjacent-eachfend-soshaped that the-spacefbetween said guide rods tapers in .'thedirectioneof -travel of `vthevbracket .Pto -a space less .than the widthj of said U-shaped brackets, thus-*forcing -said bracket -to Aturn 4about pivot L03 to pass A.between lsaid v,guide rods, and a .central ,portion bmwveen1said 4 tapered end portions wherein said guide rods are suiciently far apart as not to touch or restrict movement of said shackles in lany way.

.Hollow guiderods |02 have'extensions projecting horizontally at right angles to the center line .of the machine and passing slidably through .sleeves .|04 and maintained in xed relationship with Vsaid sleeves by set screws |06. Said sleeves |04 are rmly fixed to T-connections |08, which :are-in-turnrrigidly fastened to vertical rods ||0.

vSaid-rodspass slidably through sleeves ||2, and

Ymay be maintained in fixed relationship therewithby means of set screws ||4. Sleeves ||2 are rigidlyfattached to housing 48.

Each hollow guide rod |02 has a hose IIB con- .nected with ,its .extended .forward end, whereby water is `introducedto said lguide rods and ,passes .through holes |01 in said guide rods, as in Figure 5. In-the end or=tapered portionsof said guide rods, the water. is. directed .vertically downwardly, .and inthecentral portionof saidguide rods-the .water :is directed .obliquely downwardly Vtoward thecenter.lineofthemachine The water thus introduced serves .to .lubricate the resilient 4picking ngers and thereby to prevent injury to the fowl `being plucked.

To .prepare .the machine for -`operation, automobiletypejacks .areplacedunder jack lugs I8,

.set -screws A|.6 .are .loosened,.and machine base .2

raised.or,lowered .toa properelevation to pick .the particular size .of vfowl Vbeing gprocessed, as ,shown .in `ligure 3. `tightened.andthe jacks-removed. Pickingi drums .52 are thenadjusted to the sizeofthe-fowlto be Y`picked by 'loosening .clamp .bolts ,26, applying a .Set :screws I6 are then removable manually operable .crank .to the 'squaredends .of-screw28. .When the drumsare :properly spaced, clamp .bolts v26 `are tightened.

This adjustment is such that-.the.,drums .may be moved .near enough wtogether ...that ,the resilient .iingersmounted on :the .periphery of one drum will .touch the .fingers mounted on -`the periphery kof the otherdrum. .In.prac.tic.e, however, ithas .usually.been..found advantageous to position the drums fartherapartat Ithe rear, or entrance, end

of the machine than at the exit end. The,flexi .bilitybf theadjustmentof .thisfmachine permits ,-such.` angular lrelationship of. said drums.

..G11ide.rods `|.02 .ar-e then vertically adjusted by loosening set screws ||4 and slidingrods I0 in .sleeves 2 Y,to a :horizontal position. substantially at .a .common level with the mid-point-of fowl Supporting brackets |00, and .horizontally adjusted byloosening setscrews |06 and sliding guide rods |02 in sleeves |04 to vpositions sym- `metrically disposed about the centerline of the rmachinerand spaced apartsufoiently .to pivot .bracket |00. aboutpivot 0.3 .as far as desired, as

.heretoforedescribed .The rotation vusually vde- ,sired .is .approximately one-quarter turn. The

machine is then properly adjusted and Yis .pre-

VYpared. foroperation byswitching on motors 15-and .supplying Lwater Vto guiderrnds |-02 .through hoses vanced to a point where it is engaged by guide rods |02, said guide rods turn said bracket, and the fowl, gradually through substantially a, onequarter turn about pivot 103. At the same time, due to the tilt of picking drums 52, the center of the picking area moves higher with respect to the fowl. During said quarter turn, feathers are removed principally from the breast and upper back. When bracket 100 reaches the central portion of guide rods |02, said guide rods no longer restrict said brackets, and the bracket is again pivoted to a position at right angles to the center line of the machine by the action of fingers 60 on the body of the fowl. While the fowl is within this central portion of said guide rods, feathers are removed principally from the sides and outer surfaces of the thighs of the fowl. When bracket |00 reaches the forward tapered space between guide rods |02, it again is engaged by said guide rods and pivoted gradually through substantially a one-quarter turn about a, vertical axis, during which time feathers are removed principally from the lower back, the inner surfaces of the thighs, and the area between the legs of the fowl.

Picking of the fowl is then complete and it is moved on conveyor rail 98 to the next operation. The improvements I claim as my invention and which I desire to be covered by Letters Patent are:

1. A poultry picking machine comprising a vertically adjustable base, two upright frames carried by said base, a drum carried by each of said frames and adapted to rotate, means for rotating said drums in opposite directions, a plurality of n resilient picking fingers carried pivotally on the peripheries of said drums, a lsuitable conveyor system for passing the fowls to be picked between said picking drums, and means including guides carried rigidly by said frames and cooperating with the fowl supporting means to oscillate each of said fowls about a vertical axis.

2. A poultry picking machine comprising a vertically adjustable base, two upright frames carried by said base, a drum carried by each of said frames and adapted to rotate, means for rotating said drums in opposite directions, a plurality of resilient picking fingers carried on the peripheries of said drums, a suitable conveyor system for passing the fowls to be picked between said picking drums, and means for successively presenting all parts of the fowl body to the action of said i picking fingers comprising in combination a U- shaped bracket by means of which each bird is suspended from said conveyor and a pair of guide rods carried by the frames supporting the picking drums which engage and guide said bracket as it passes between said drums, causing said bracket to turn about a vertical axis, thereby turning the fowl supported by said bracket with respect to said picking drums.

3. A poultry picking machine having a base vertically adjustable on legs extending through sleeves rigidly attached to said base, two upright drum supporting frames carried independently on said base, means for adjusting said frames on said base in such a manner that the distance and angular relationship between said frames may be varied, a substantially cylindrical drum carried by each of said frames and adapted to rotate, said drums having axes tilted at a fixed angle to the horizontal, a plurality of resilient fingers individually pivoted on said drums about axes parallel to the axes of said drums, said fingers being placed in offset relationship on said drums, independent means for rotating said drums in opposite directions, suitable conveyor means for passing the fowl to be plucked between said drums, and means carried by said drum supporting frames for automatically positioning said fowl so that all parts of the body of the fowl are successively presented to the picking action of said resilient fingers.

4. In a poultry picking machine, in combination with a base of a pair of spaced supporting frames on the base; an elongated feather-picking assembly carried by each of said frames respectively, said assemblies being rotatable on their longitudinal axes; means shiftably mounting at least one of said frames on the base for movement toward and away from the other of said frames; a pair of spaced, independently extensible devices, each joining the base and said one frame for shifting the latter relatively to the base whereby to vary the distance between said assemblies and the angularity between said longitudinal axes thereof; and a plurality of supporting legs for said base, said legs being extensible for raising and lowering the base, the frames and the assemblies as a unit.

5. In a poultry picking machine, in combination with a base of a pair of spaced supporting frames on the base; an elongated feather-picking assembly carried by each of said frames respectively, said assemblies being rotatable on their longitudinal axes; means for each frame respectively for mounting the frames on the base for movement toward and away from each other; a pair of spaced, independently extensible devices for each frame respectively, each device joining the base and its frame for shifting the latter relative to the base, whereby to vary the distance between said assemblies and the angularity between said longitudinal axes thereof; and a plurality of supporting legs for said base, said legs being extensible for raising and lowering the base, the frames and the assemblies as a unit, separate from the operation of said devices.

6. In poultry handling apparatus; a horizontal conveyor track; a carrier on the track; an elongated shackle depending from the carrier and rotatable on a vertical axis relative to the carrier;

- and shackle-turning means within the path of travel of the shackle including a pair of spaced, horizontal rods underlying the track, said rods diverging as one end thereof is approached for receiving the shackle as the same is advanced along the track, the distance between the rods at the opposite ends thereof being less than the length of shackle and greater than the width thereof.

GORDON W. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 994,523 Kohlhepp June 6, 1911 1,217,393 Berg Feb. 27, 1917 1,230,819 Gall June 19, 1917 1,694,018 Mudge et al. Dec. 4, 1928 1,755,665 Richards Apr. 22, 1930 1,817,332 Worrall Aug. 4, 1931 1,897,971 Johnston Feb. 14, 1933 2,328,770 Barker Sept. 7, 1943 2,410,330 Ashenfelter Oct. 29, 1946 2,422,608 Albright June 17, 1947 2,423,560 Jasper July 8, 1947 2,484,235 Mead Oct. 11, 1949 

